The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-02-12

lstep, and on back to the hotel In ahject
Iself-disgrace. am as brave as shcep!'
When she had finished, she added q
postscript. She wished to give the
statement prominence.
| "P. S. No one has taken me for a
book-agent!
SrEPH,"
| There was q very happy look on her
face when she dropped this letter into
the Office. In fancy she saw the dear
land eager little flock ciamoring to hear
from Stepb, and the proud light in her
mothers eyes as she read it to them.
1t made her heart light and full OF
grateful importance to feel that she
was working for them, aud-succecsl-
ing.
AS she walked away from the post.
Office, she looked about her, for the
first time, with some curiosity, and
was conscious as she did so of sudden
chill to the June time in her heart.
True the grand old mountains were so
near that she could see their snow
crowns glimmeriug in the sunlight
through the clear blue atmosphere, but
they seemed to cut her off from that
other real and homlike world. She
could not pronounce the names on the
signs, and every body and every thing
looked strange and foreign. She felt as
if she had gone to sleep and awakened
among people who knew her not, and
would none of her.
She passed newspaper Office, but
there was no one within, and with a
sudden instinct to get away on the first
train, which went out in a couple of
hours, she resolved to do what she
could alone. 1t was not pleasant to
think of spending the night in the
great four posted bed at the green Ger,
man inn, whose atmosphere was taint-
ed with beer from the bar about which
strange looking men lounged.
She begun at the first of line of
stores, and entering looked about with
some trepidation for the proprietor.
11o SdtAO SIO"ly AOA "uAO1 SyCAu6 hSA
with lack-lustre, bovine gaze.
Stephanie knew her effort would be
fruitless, but she tried to explain her
business. His slow astonishment was
irritating.
81 haf Won paber alreadty," with a
shake of the head, was all the encour-
agement she got.
With dogged perseverance, that
made her smile grimly to herself, even
while her spirits sank into her boots,
and she was on the eve of hysterical
burst of tears, all the while, she kept
on her way, leaving no stone unturned.
Again and again, she heard the same
reply:
81 haf Won paber alreadty," or II
can not readt English"
The gong was just sounding for din
ner, when she reached the hotel. The
saur krout and garlic turned her sick
as she took her place at the table. Ste-
phanie came nearer being absolutely
cross than she would have thought
possible under any circumstances, as
she looked over the result of nearly
two hours hard and persistent work.
| There were the names of three Amer
leans, and one German, who did not
know enough English to argue the
matter with her. She was sorry for
him, as she took down his name, and
felt like she had defrauded him. But
business was business. Perhaps he
would enjoy the pictures.
Her companion at the table, she saw
in the impatient glance thrown around
the room, as she waited for her soup,
was gentleman, stout, genial-looking
and evidently very much at home.
Polite, too, for with delicate fore.
thought, he had moved dish of on
ions which graced the table, as far
from her plate as possible, when she
sat down.
"Did you do much business here,
Miss .'
The question, so unexpected, caused
Stephanie 10 start.
81 beg your pardon, sire" Her tone
was coldly reserved, and the eyes she
} lifted to his face were rather indig.
nant.